Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34404500›Full record

SynthesisExpert reviews in molecular medicine2021

Dysregulation of immune response in otitis media.

Michael W Mather, Steven Powell, Benjamin Talks, Chris Ward, Colin D Bingle, Muzlifah Haniffa, Jason Powell

Open access · hybridAbstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Expert reviews in molecular medicine, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.3field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy of Antimicrobial Chemoprophylaxis for Recurrent Acute Otitis Media in Children.Clinical otolaryngology : official journal of ENT-UK ; official journal of Netherlands Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology & Cervico-Facial Surgery · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Michael W MatherFaculty of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biosciences, Newcastle Medical School, Framlington Place, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-7972-7111
Steven PowellDepartment of Paediatric Otolaryngology, Great North Children's Hospital, Queen Victoria Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4LP, UK.
Benjamin TalksFaculty of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biosciences, Newcastle Medical School, Framlington Place, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-4896-2324
Chris WardFaculty of Medical Sciences, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle Medical School, Framlington Place, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK.
Colin D BingleDepartment of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, The Medical School, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield, S10 2RX, UK.
Muzlifah HaniffaFaculty of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biosciences, Newcastle Medical School, Framlington Place, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK.
Jason PowellDepartment of Paediatric Otolaryngology, Great North Children's Hospital, Queen Victoria Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4LP, UK.
Great North Children's Hospital · GBNewcastle University · GBUniversity of Sheffield · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveOtitis media (OM) is a common reason for children to be prescribed antibiotics and undergo surgery but a thorough understanding of disease mechanisms is lacking. We evaluate the evidence of a dysregulated immune response in the pathogenesis of OM.

methodsA comprehensive systematic review of the literature using search terms [otitis media OR glue ear OR AOM OR OME] OR [middle ear AND (infection OR inflammation)] which were run through Medline and Embase via Ovid, including both human and animal studies. In total, 82 955 studies underwent automated filtering followed by manual screening. One hundred studies were included in the review.

resultsMost studies were based on in vitro or animal work. Abnormalities in pathogen detection pathways, such as Toll-like receptors, have confirmed roles in OM. The aetiology of OM, its chronic subgroups (chronic OM, persistent OM with effusion) and recurrent acute OM is complex; however, inflammatory signalling mechanisms are frequently implicated. Host epithelium likely plays a crucial role, but the characterisation of human middle ear tissue lags behind that of other anatomical subsites.

conclusionsTranslational research for OM presently falls far behind its clinical importance. This has likely hindered the development of new diagnostic and treatment modalities. Further work is urgently required; particularly to disentangle the respective immune pathologies in the clinically observed phenotypes and thereby work towards more personalised treatments.

Indexed as

Otitis MediaAnimalsAnti-Bacterial AgentsEar, MiddleHumansImmunitySignal TransductionAnti-Bacterial AgentsAdaptive immunityantigen presentationepitheliuminflammation mediatorsinnate immunityotitis mediasignal transduction

Identifiers

PMID34404500
PMCPMC7612930
OpenAlexW3194917450

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.